November 22, 2024
Passage Read: Revelation 3-4
Meditation Verses: 3:1-4
Thought
The church at Sardis appears to be alive, but Jesus says they are dead. They're not yet lost, because He calls them to wake up and strengthen the things that are about to die. There is still something in them that has life, but it is fading. He says their deeds are lacking in His sight, and He says they have soiled they're garments. He calls them to remember what they have heard and received, to keep it and repent, otherwise, Jesus will come and they will not expect Him, perhaps like the foolish virgins who were left out when the bridegroom arrived. There are yet some among them who have not soiled their garments, who will be worthy to enter Jesus's presence. The key is that they have heard truth but are not obeying it. They seem to have been saved, and have some expression or appearance of Christianity, but they are not walking in obedience, but are actually doing wrong things that soil their once-clean garments. This could be any number of churches or Christian communities today. God expects a certain minimum amount of deeds and obedience, according to what a person or people have heard and received. If we do not do what we know we're supposed to do, if we think we can substitute some likeness of life for obedience, we are mistaken. Jesus isn't fooled by the appearance of life, but by the fruit of faith in His Word and obedience to it. Like the fig tree with leaves but no figs that He cursed or the tree that used the soil but produced no fruit, which was given one more year to bear or be cut down.
Application
It does not matter what I seem to be to other people, whether I am very verbal and exuberant about my faith in Jesus or whether I'm very serious and studied in my understanding of God and Truth, if I do not act in obedience to what I know God's Word says, but even do whatever I think is right (in clear violation of God's Word), then I'm dead in God's eyes and in danger of losing everything if I don't wake up, repent and do what God commands. Submission and obedience to God's Word is what Jesus is seeking; there is no substitute. And any expression of apparent life, apart from humble obedience, is no life at all. I don't need to be jealous of those who are very expressive about their relationship with God; that means nothing if they're not also walking in submission to His Word. And I don't need to be intimidated by those who are very studious but likewise lack diligent obedience; in fact, the more they receive and believe, the more God expects of them and the more rebuke He has for them if they don't do what they've received. God expects me to walk in obedience to what I have read in His Word and understood. It is the humble and contrite and teachable that He will not despise; it is not the boisterous and exuberant, or the serious and studious, or the rich and magnanimous that He delights in.